Recipe for Moist and Delicious Blackcurrant Flapjack Squares

I must admit that of all the summer fruit that grow in my garden, blackcurrants are probably my least favourite. I guess this is because I find them rather too sour to eat straight off the bush, so unlike raspberries and redcurrants, there is no instant reward for picking them!  Blackcurrants are abundant and plentiful right now and I have three bushes, so lots of blackcurrants. Many of these currants will end up in my freezer for use at a later stage, however, I always like to use some fresh berries in my baking.

This attractive, deliciously moist blackcurrant flapjack is a recipe given to me by my mother. Eat freshly baked and still warm with ice cream as a dessert or allow to cool and enjoy as a teatime treat. Once cool, the flavours develop beautifully and the flapjack becomes wonderfully moist and soft to eat.

THE RECIPE
You will need:

• 200g (7oz) butter
• 3 tablespoons (45ml) of golden syrup
• 275g (10oz) porridge oats
• 100g (3.5oz) flour
• 100g(3.5oz) caster sugar
• 100g (3.5oz) brown sugar
• 100g (3.5oz)pecans roughly chopped
• 75g (3oz) dates chopped
• zest of a lemon
• 350g (12oz) fresh blackcurrants (or defrosted)

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C/ fan 18o°C/ gas6
2. Gently melt the butter and golden syrup in a large heavy based pan then remove from the heat.
3. Add all the remaining ingredients, except the blackcurrants, and stir well until thoroughly combined.
4. Place a sheet of baking paper in a 20cm x 25cm shallow tin.
5. Place half of the flapjack mix in the tin and gently smooth the surface with a palette knife.
6. Sprinkle the blackcurrants evenly over the base layer.
7. Top with the remaining flapjack mix and smooth as before.
8. Bake in your pre-heated oven for approximately 50 minutes or until golden in colour.
9. Allow to partially cool before cutting into squares with a sharp knife.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family. If you don’t have pecans and dates in your cupboard try substituting other types of nuts and dried fruit – I’ve tried coconut and hazelnuts both just as delicious.

Happy Baking
Lindy